Solutions for Business
Business simplification has gone live with thousands of different business support products and services now streamlined into just 30 easy to understand packages all accessed via Business Link.
The move has been made after Government was told by businesses that the available support was too diverse and complex and this was deterring entrepreneurs from trying to access the support that is available.
In the West Midlands the following are available
Export Credit Insurance – Export Credit Insurance offers insurance policies for contracts involving the export of capital equipment and project related goods and services.
Grant for Business Investment – a grant to support the acquisition of key assets, such as buildings, plant and machinery and to support the creation of new jobs or to safeguard existing ones.
Maximising Foreign Direct Investment – information, advice and tailored help to potential and existing inward investors, to help them with the decision to invest in the UK and once invested to develop their UK based business.
Accessing International Markets – Tailored information and help in specific markets, for individual companies and for sectors or other groups of UK businesses for collective benefit, drawing on the commercial sections in UK consulates, embassies and high commissions overseas.
Developing your international trade potential – information to businesses who are considering exporting or entering new overseas markets, or who have limited experience in exporting or other aspects of international business development.
Train to Gain – Train to Gain is a Government flagship service providing advice, support and funding to employers in England of all sizes and in all sectors. It puts buying power and information in their hands, giving them better access to a wider range of opportunities for improving the skills of their employees and the productivity of their business. It helps businesses to meet the challenges they are facing now and the strategic skills needs they will face in the future.
Business Collaboration Networks – Funding will be provided to procure intermediaries to establish and operate business collaboration networks. The intermediaries will facilitate access to a range of collaborative support activities.
Business Premises – This product allows the provision of cost effective, managed workspace and business parks in priority locations to help new and existing businesses grow.
Starting a Business – Free access to clear information and advice for anyone thinking about starting a business.
Starting a High Growth Business – Extra help for new businesses (and people developing a business concept) identified as having high growth potential.
Manufacturing Advisory Service – The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) is a business support programme for manufacturing companies, delivering hands-on advice and assistance from experts in a wide range of manufacturing disciplines.
Designing Demand – designing Demand is a support programme developed to help businesses use design to improve performance.
Coaching for High Growth – The product is a structured coaching programme, assisting firms to build their inherent capabilities and achieved accelerated growth.
Enterprise Finance Guarantee – The Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme (EFG) will support up the £1.3bn of new lending by banks to viable SMEs with working capital or investment needs. The guarantee can be used to support new loans, refinance existing loans or convert part or all of an existing overdraft into a loan to release capacity to meet working capital needs. Businesses may seek loans of £1,000 to £1 million, repayable over a period of up to 10 years.
Small Loans for Business – Small loans of up to £50,000 for businesses with viable business plans refused bank finance, typically linked to ongoing mentoring and support.
Understanding Finance for Business – Advice and support to ensure that entrepreneurs and businesses understand their options for getting the money they need to start and grow a business, with facilitated introduction to potential sources of finance.
Finance for Business – Flexible finance solutions for businesses with viable business plans unable to get support from commercial banks and investors.
Improving Your Resource Efficiency – Initial and specialist support which enables businesses to contribute to a low carbon resource efficient economy whilst achieving cost savings.
Collaborative R&D – A grant to businesses working together and with the knowledge base to develop and exploit new ideas.
Networking for Innovation – Support to help businesses build relationships with knowledge based institutions to develop and exploit new ideas.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships – A grant to enable the replacement of a newly qualified person (i.e. NVQ level 4 in a appropriate subject, HND, foundation degree, degree and higher degrees, including post-doctorate) in a business or the exchange of staff between businesses and knowledge base institutions.
Innovation Vouchers – A voucher to enable a business to buy support from a knowledge base institution in order to explore potential opportunities for future collaboration in developing and exploiting new ideas.
Grant for Research and Development – Finance to assist a business to develop and exploit new ideas.
For more information about any of these products and services please contact
Business Link West Midlands
Advantage House
19 Ridgeway
Quinton Business Park
Quinton
Birmingham
West Midlands
B32 1AL
Tel: 0845 113 1234
Website: www.businesslinkwm.co.uk - Opens in a new window
Email: info@businesslinkwm.co.uk